Cat and the Canary
by NameForsaken
Summary: Blake is sitting among the ruins of Beacon when she notices a little canary flying her way. Collab between me and Kitty Lux (luxsp on tumblr).
1. Ruins

Blake was sitting in the ruins of Beacon Academy, sharpening the blade of Gambol Shroud against a pile of debris, when she noticed a little yellow canary flapping clumsily toward her. Her amber eyes widened as the bird's wings started to give out, and she jumped up, extending her hand to catch the little bird just as it fell.

"Gotcha," she said, leaning her weapon against the side of a rugged brick and bringing her other hand up to ruffle the tiny bird's feathers. She leaned in to get a closer look and realized that the canary's right wing had been injured. "Oh no," she whispered, lifting her index finger to inspect the wound, but the bird flinched away before she could touch it and began to angrily chirp at its captor.

Blake furrowed her eyebrows, and let out a sigh of defeat as she fell back onto the pile where she'd been working. "You know, if you don't let me help you, you'll end up Grimm food."

The canary chirped in response, pushing itself up with its good wing and turning around so its tail feathers were raised to Blake's face.

"So you're a stubborn little thing," Blake said with a small chuckle. "Got it." She set the bird down on the edge of a chipped brick, and reached for Gambol Shroud once more. "You can hang out with me if you want, but once it gets dark, I can't promise I'll take you with me."

With no response from the tiny creature, Blake shrugged to herself, and recoiled her blade back into gun form. She flipped the weapon over in her lap and stared down at the detailed ridges she'd since carved into the shiny, metal grip a few weeks earlier. It'd been roughly four months since she'd first returned to this place, the scene of the attack she'd been so desperately trying to forget. But it wasn't easy, especially when she'd picked this place specifically so she could wallow in her own self-pity and hide out in the one place she knew no one would check.

Beacon had since become a Grimm wasteland, the damage even worse than what had been inflicted on Mountain Glenn all those decades ago. What was supposed to have been the most hopeful of places in Vale had now become the most hopeless, new hordes of Grimm continuing to enter every single day. But they never bothered Blake. She always kept to herself, always retreated to an abandoned classroom or dorm whenever the sun went down and the Beowolves came out. It was lonely, but in a way, it had been peaceful, too, knowing she didn't have to carry the burden of hurting her friends or teammates anymore.

At least that was what she liked to pretend. But every night, Yang was the first person on her mind, the first person Blake saw when she went through the list of people she'd done wrong. She had promised Yang so long ago to stick by her side and trust her with everything she had. And she didn't leave because she didn't trust Yang - she left because she couldn't trust herself. By keeping Yang and the rest of her teammates out of her reach, maybe Adam would finally leave them alone. Maybe he would leave Blake alone, too. It was for the best, anyway. All Blake ever did was cause other people pain, no matter how hard she'd been trying to change her ways and fight for what was right.

She wasn't even sure she knew what was right anymore. The White Fang had lied to her. Ozpin had lied to her. Everything she ever knew about the noble Huntsmen and Huntresses of the world were all now just spinning questions in her mind, and Blake was unsure if there was even such a thing as a hero anymore. What made someone a hero, anyway? What made one cause greater than another, and who was to decide what was right or what was wrong?

Blake wanted to go back. She ached to go back. All she wanted was a warm bed to sleep in for just a night, a fresh change of clothes that didn't have holes or tears all down the sides from months of rough nights sleeping on rubble and broken glass. There wasn't much to do at Beacon anymore other than to pass time reading the few books that were left undamaged from the library or continue to make upgrades to her weapon that she barely got use out of nowadays. Sure, she could use some of the many, many Grimm that lurked around for target practice, but taking on one meant taking them all, and Blake knew that that was a death sentence just waiting to happen. Sure, she'd gotten stronger, but not even a thousand shadow clones would be enough to take on the giant Griffons and Goliaths that stood half as tall as Beacon's tower once did.

It was a wonder why a bird as tiny and bright as the little canary would even think to fly to a deserted battleground festering with the creatures of evil incarnate. Perhaps it had gotten lost on its way home, or it had escaped from its master's cage after their apartment had been struck during the Battle of Beacon. Either way, it looked to be in no condition to fly, and Blake wasn't sure if it would even last the night.

She reached out for the fluffy bird once more, and immediately, it flinched at her touch. It whipped its head around and met Blake with the most pained, violet eyes, and Blake couldn't help but tear up at the sight.

"You remind me so much of someone I used to know," she said softly, pulling her hand away as it turned to face her. "She was injured, too, just like you…"

The bird cocked its head to the side, letting out a quiet chirp as it urged Blake to continue.

Blake gave it a sad smile. "The worst part is that she was hurt trying to save me… I never got to tell her why I left, but if I stuck around until she woke up, it would've just been that much harder to say goodbye…"

Suddenly, the canary's chirping became frantic and higher in pitch, its left wing flapping as it seemed to be trying to tell Blake something. Her eyes widened as the bird's feathers began to expand, and the tiny creature took on a new, definitely-not-so-tiny form.

"No…" Blake whispered as she met familiar violet eyes, the canary's feathers now a long, wild mane of golden hair. "I… Y-you're not real…"

"Neat trick, huh?" the Human now perched before her said passively as she flipped her hair over her left shoulder. "I learned it from my Uncle."

Blake shook her head, backing away from the girl as she pushed herself up to her feet. "You can't be here… That's not possible…"

Yang sighed, lowering her gaze to her thighs - which, thankfully, were fully clothed in thick denim jeans. "I got tired of sitting around, Blake. Of moping and wondering why you left…"

Blake bit her bottom lip, sucking in a deep breath through gritted teeth as she forced herself to take in the image that was her old partner - long, golden hair, bright, violet eyes, a long-sleeved leather top that hid more cleavage than Blake was used to, and that right sleeve folded up to Yang's elbow with nothing but empty space where her forearm used to be.

"I thought if I came in my… _other_ form… I could get you to talk for a bit."

"But _how_?" Blake finally spat after a moment, amber eyes still wide in shock and tears. " _How_ did you find me?"

Yang lifted her head, and gave Blake a ghost of a smile. "Honestly, it wasn't easy. I spent about a month searching the town's ruins and even the abandoned railroad tracks in the Forever Fall. I figured you didn't leave Vale. I knew you'd stick around, even if it was at arm's length. You may be a runner, Blake, but you never do get very far."

Blake turned toward Yang, steeling herself as she took a step in her old friend's direction. "Yang, I… I didn't leave _because_ of you. I left _for_ you."

"I know."

"Y-you do?"

The blonde nodded, a short, quivering breath escaping her lips. "I….I kind of spent the first few months angry at you for what you did… I spent so long wallowing in self-hatred and defeat, but then one day I just woke up and realized that if I spent the rest of my life laying in bed being bitter at the world, I would never get the answers I've been searching for all my life - I would never know why it seems to be so easy for everyone to leave me."

Blake shook her head. "Yang, it's not like that… If anything, leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do…" She lowered herself back to her seat, and hesitantly extended a hand to Yang's thigh. To her relief, Yang didn't pull away, and Blake finally allowed herself to relax. "I didn't want to lose you, Yang… That's why I left. Adam - that _man_ who took your arm - wants to do so much worse to you and everyone I love. I just figured that if I stayed away, he wouldn't be able to find you…"

Yang curled her left hand into a fist, and lifted it for a moment before unclenching it and placing it gently over Blake's. "Blake, I want to hurt him as much as you do. That's why I'm here." She met the other girl's eyes with a fuller, more genuine smile, her violet gaze shining with tears. "I can't get revenge on the man who stabbed my best friend if she isn't here with me to back me up."

"But you shouldn't trust me," Blake muttered. "I abandoned you after I promised I wouldn't…"

"Then I guess you'll just have to make sure not to break it this time." Yang moved her hand until her fingers were lined perfectly between Blake's own, and she slid them in smoothly until their hands were interlocked. "Please say you'll come with me… Ruby needs us, Blake, and _I_ need _you_."

Blake's Faunus ears perked up at the sound of her former leader's name, and she looked up at Yang with a worried, questioning stare. "What about Ruby?"

Yang's breath hitched, and she gave Blake's hand a gentle squeeze. "She… she went to Haven with Jaune, Nora, and Ren… She left over two months ago, but I was too stubborn to follow. I haven't heard from her since then, and I just… I need to know she's okay. So please… I'll ask one more time. Will you come with me?"

Blake sighed, casting a sidelong glance at her weapon which she had since dropped after watching Yang transform. So many upgrades, but so little use… It would be a shame if she just let it sit there and rot for nothing. She reached for Gambol Shroud with her free hand and slung it behind her back, attaching it to its holster that she always kept on to protect her from fallen debris at night. Once her weapon was secured, she looked back up at Yang and met her with the first full smile she'd been able to muster since before the Vytal Tournament had taken such a dark turn all those months earlier. "I'll go with you." She gave Yang's hand a firm squeeze. "But you have to promise me one thing."

Her friend raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Tell me how you do that bird thing."

Yang chuckled. "I'll do you better." She let go of Blake's hand and raised herself to her feet. "I'll show ya." She climbed up on the top of the debris she'd been sitting, and winked at Blake as she tucked her left arm into her side. With a little jump, she transformed once more before Blake's eyes, those long locks once again taking the texture of feathers, her Human body shrinking and reshaping into that tiny little canary. But like before, Yang's right wing was still damaged, and Blake had to extend her hands to catch her as she stumbled and fell.

"I've got you," she said lovingly to the bird, cradling it in her palms and holding it to her chest. This time, Yang didn't flinch away at Blake's touch, instead curling into the woman's warm embrace, her head resting again Blake's bosom. Blake smiled down at her, still not exactly sure how any of this was possible, but like most things with Yang, she just decided to go with it. "I'm not going to let you go."


	2. Here and Gone

**Author's Note: This Chapter was written by Kitty Lux as a follow-up to my first, Cat and the Canary, and you can find the original posted on her FF profile. We've decided to continue this fic together as a collaboration, each swapping every other chapter and picking up where the other left off. I'll be posting them here with the original "one-shot" that started it all, and we hope you enjoy the story that unfolds!**

* * *

An hour into their reunion, and Blake hadn't broken her promise. Even now, Yang sat perched on Blake's extended index finger, those captivating yellow eyes gazing down at her lovingly in an act worth more than words. Blake's weary smile however wouldn't give way to a true, honest smirk the likes Yang had grown to miss over the last few months, and would likely be deprived off for a little while longer. That was okay though, because neither could possibly expect their old dynamic to just return as if everything had been right, as if Yang hadn't lost her arm, and Blake hadn't ran. Things just weren't that simple.

And it seemed as if questing after Ruby wouldn't be, either.

As it turned out, while Yang had been bedbound for the last three months, Blake had been very, very active, skirting the perimeter of Beacon and ensuring what few Grimm fell from the path to the academy were cut down before reaching the still-recovering city. She had also made a point to clear out the Beacon dorms, to which Yang attributed Blake's relatively well-maintained health and outfit. And, for the last month, Blake had been slowly carving her path toward Beacon Tower. She refused to leave without having explored the top, and without having finished one final sweep of the perimeter.

They also needed to find transport, permission to leave in the first place, and to notify what was left of Beacon staff of the growing perimeter assaults of the Grimm as the occasional bouts of panic, fear, anger, sorrow, and doubt pulled the creatures to the city itself. And then there was the last goodbye.

Yang refused to leave her father like Raven, Summer, and Ruby did. She'd say goodbye. She had to. She knew all too well exactly how much it hurt when the people she loved just disappeared.

"Hey, Yang?"

She chirped in response to her… partner…

"Can I tell you a story?"

She chirped again before moving up Blake's finger toward her hand, and the black-haired beauty turned it, allowing Yang to settle down in her palm.

"It's about my parents. About… why I stayed with the Fang as long as I did." Her voice cracked on the 'why' but she continued regardless. "Or rather… long enough for Adam to sink his claws in…"

Sensing her partner's mood, and the plummeting atmosphere, Yang stood, delivering a gentle peck to Blake's palm before flying her way to Blake's shoulder and nuzzling the girl's cheek. She almost didn't make it, her wing still failing after flying all the way from Patch with very few breaks.

The feeling of Yang's soft feather against her skin appeared to soothe Blake slightly, and she closed her eyes as she released a hard breath, a soft smile forming at the sheer presence of her one time guardian angel.

"I want you to know that I regret everything that followed, but I was blinded. My parents…. My parents were living in Mistral when they had me, and at the time, things weren't good for the Faunus there. They joined the Fang and, for a while, the boycotts, rallies, strikes, they were working. But it wouldn't last."

Blake had stopped moving at this point, and once she herself noticed this fact, she made a point of sneaking into the ruined remnants of one of the Fairground shacks, curling her legs beneath her as she ducked down beneath the counter and offered her hand once more to Yang who hopped back into her original position. There they stayed as Blake continued her story.

"The initial surge of support would soon die down as mankind turned against itself. Humans supporting Faunus equality went from being virtually unheard of, to being socially unacceptable. And the vast majority acquiesced. All those promises of change from small companies became empty when the giants stayed the same. They could barely scrape by as was. Supporting us would only end in their collapse… Sympathisers were few and far between, big conglomerates had too much to gain, and small time businesses had too much to lose. We were all alone, and change just wasn't happening. We needed… We needed something drastic…"

In her canary form, the term "pool" had never been a more apt description for the tears in her partner's eyes as she continued her story, her quivering lip all too prevalent from Yang's macroscopic perspective.

"My mom…" Blake's voice completely broke, and just like that it became all too clear why Blake had hidden herself. Her lip continued to quiver as her tears fell. She took a laboured breath as she continued. "She jumped the barricade during the Haven Seniors Championship… The two finalists didn't see her, and they couldn't stop themselves in time. She…"

Blake closed her eyes as she started to sob, her laboured breaths racking her body as tears fell, staining her cheeks and neck, and wetting her top. Not even the feeling of Yang's wrapping her arm around her, pulling her close, whispering words of love and light, could chase away her pain.

"She died, Yang. She died. And nothing changed… What more could we do!? What more could we give!? And yet… despite that… Despite her death, despite the futility of it all, we _still_ fought, we _still_ tried, and we _still_ turned away suggestions of extremism. We _refused_ to become like them… Until we did…"

Blake continued sobbing, curling into Yang's warm embraced who continued to hush her, continued to gently rub circles into her back, continued to hold her.

"You must've heard the story; the synchronised assassinations across the kingdoms, including one of the SDC higher ups. It was official. If mankind wouldn't give us what we wanted, we'd just take it. And I… even after everything that happened, myself, my father, we wouldn't follow. Neither would our leader… He stepped down but my father continued on. He wouldn't let me follow. Not anymore. The "peaceful" rallies were growing too dangerous now that Adam and the rest of the Fang were terrorising the world…. Turns out he was right. One night, my father just… never came back… Adam was the one who told me what happened…"

Yang's response was to just clutch Blake tighter, hold her closer. In that moment, she was almost thankful for Blake's breakdown, it saved her own horror from being witnessed. Blake wouldn't have to learn of how much the truth hurt her. She had heard stories, had seen discrimination, but this… She had never imagined things were so bad… "Misguided" was putting it lightly…

"I'm so sorry, Blake…"

"That's why I stayed, Yang. For him. For my father. For my mother. I… It's not what they would've wanted. It's not. It's what I wanted… I wanted equality. I wanted to make my parents' dreams come true. I wanted… And I didn't care how…"

As Blake petered out, the duo fell into prolonged sobbing, Blake crying on Yang's shoulder, as Yang just waited for the storm to pass, for her friend to calm. Once that happened, Yang looked down at her, forced her to meet her gaze, and wiped away the last of the tears with her only thumb.

"I can't possibly begin to understand what you went through. And I'm not going to pretend like I do. I just… I don't blame you, Blake. It wasn't your fault. You were just… trying the make the world a better place. You didn't realise that you still had a choice. And I promise that one day we'll make that change. We'll change all of it, Blake. We will."

Unable to speak, Blake just nodded and Yang smiled before pulling her back into a hug. They remained that way for a minute before Blake pulled away, using her detached sleeve to dab away the tear streaks on her face.

"You don't know how much this means to me…"

Yang could guess. She'd never seen Blake like this. A girl like her certainly didn't seem like the type who could cope with such loss and come out unscathed. Yang didn't. To this day, behind closed doors, she'd cry wondering why Raven left. And there was a reason she never visited Summer's grave… Blake had hid from this, blocked it out; tried to pretend like it hadn't happened. But it had. And it broke the girl way back then, and no one had ever helped put her back together. The fact that Blake had even told her in the first place…

"Thanks for telling me all of this, Blake. This can't have been easy…"

Blake smiled the weakest of smiles.

"I just need you to know…"

Yang smiled back.

"I do. And I'm always here if you need to talk."

In that moment, Yang felt herself shift onto her knees. She leaned forward, cupping Blake's cheek in her hand. And soon, her lips were pressed against Blake's forehead. It was fleeting. And it had never happened before. But to Yang, it was only what felt natural.

As she pulled away, Blake made no mention of the act. Instead, she reached up to the counter and used it to pull herself back to her feet before offering a hand to Yang. Yang raised her brow questioningly.

"It's the least I can do," Blake spoke, seemingly unfazed by the mess her emotions had just caused – not that she could clean up the tear streaks, dry her vest, or clear her bloodshot eyes. Yang merely accepted, letting Blake pull her up.

"You alright?" she asked once she was back on her own feet.

"I'll be better," Blake responded in a not-unfamiliar monotone.

"Take however long you need. You're the only one of us with a weapon, remember?"

"Right."

* * *

By the end of the next hour, Blake had calmed, and the two had journeyed up to the top of Beacon Tower, where they were treated to the relics of the war. However, the shattered glass, scattered gears, broken furniture, even the giant Grimm, all were ignored as Blake and Yang gravitated toward the last remnant of their dear friend…

Pyrrha's bronze headpiece…

Yang gasped and transformed on instinct, hiding from the horrors of reality in her newfound form. However, with her wing clipped so, she fell, and Blake stumbled to catch her, panicking as she fell to her knees beside Pyrrha' headpiece, Yang nestled in her hands.

"Are you okay?"

Yang chirped in response to Blake's desperate question and Blake could see her partner's violet canary eyes locked on the very headpiece that triggered her 'escape'. Blake teared up as she leaned forward, prompting Yang to jump out of her hands and allowing Blake to fall onto all fours as she sniffled away.

Once again, Yang couldn't bear to see Blake is such a state, and for the second time that night, she returned to her human form where she was sat with her knees tucked beneath her. She reached forward, her hand shaking as she took Pyrrha's crown between her fingers as if it were made of glass. She glanced down at it, tearing up alongside her partner.

"You might not have seen it, and it might not feel like it right now… but you were a hero, Pyrrha. Things are… Things are bad, yeah, but… Man, they could've been so much worse… If this is all we have left of you then we aren't ever losing it."

She paused, glancing at Blake who was simply watching Yang give her tiny eulogy, before turning her gaze to the heavens.

"Y'know, it was you who gave me the courage to carry on? I wanted to quit. I just… I did quit. But then… But then when I was sick of living every day inside that room… When I was sick of hating Blake, and missing Weiss and my sister, that's when I thought about you. And I knew… I knew that quitting wasn't the answer. If you could do this, then I could stand up, and leave my room, and I could find Blake again. And maybe one day I'll find my mom, too. Thank you, Pyrrha, for everything. I love you. Blake loves you. We just… We love you. And we'll see you again… one day…"

At that, Blake reached over, taking the headpiece out of Yang's hand just to hold it for a few seconds, her eyes locked on the dusty bronze piece. Smiling down at it, Blake blinked away the last of her tears before standing and finally taking in the room. Yang followed as she walked toward the frozen wyvern, quickly storing Pyrrha's crown in her pack before reaching out to rest a hand on the snout of the behemoth.

"It's… actually real…"

The disbelief in Blake's voice urged Yang to speak up.

"You didn't know?"

Blake glanced behind her to see Yang stood, staring up at the body of the Grimm whose shadow they were standing in. "No. I see it every night. But I just… How? How is this possible?"

A roll of her shoulders only served as an unwelcome reminder of what Yang was missing, the uneven loads being lifted and dropped. "I wish I could tell ya. Apparently Ruby did it but I've only heard bits and pieces."

"Ruby?" Blake asked without a hint of disbelief as she glanced up at the drake's body. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Because it's Ruby?" Yang asked rhetorically and Blake smiled.

"Well, when we find her, she can tell us herself."

"Seeing is believing."

"Why do you think I had to come here?"


	3. Symmetry

It had never occurred to Blake how small the forests of Vale seemed when she didn't have to walk them alone. When she was still with Adam and traveling along the empty railroad tracks that ran through the Forever Fall, every step had felt like a strenuous mile, and every few moments spent in muted anger felt like another lifetime further away from their intended destination. But with Yang, there were no awkward silences. Though she spent the majority of the trip huddled inside the inner pocket of Blake's vest, resting in her new smaller, more travel-friendly canary form, Blake was quick to discover that Yang chirped quietly in her sleep, and every single time the tiny sound escaped from the little yellow bird's beak, Blake couldn't help but revel at her new turn of fate.

Had someone told Blake before she left her teammates back at Beacon all those months ago that she would soon be traveling to Patch with a bird-sized Yang tucked away in her pocket, she would've worried that that person had inhaled just a little too much Dust. But here she was, crossing the long, narrow, man-made bridge that served as a means of transportation between Vale and Patch, glancing out over the moonlit ocean that surrounded the kingdom as she listened to Yang shuffle softly inside her vest. Just a few more steps and she would finally be on Patch, the island where Yang and Ruby had been raised by their loving father, Taiyang. She wasn't sure what to expect when they finally arrived at Yang's old family home, but if her father was anything like the doting man both she and her sister had described, then it would be a lie if Blake said she wasn't the least-bit wary about meeting him. After all, she did abandon Yang in critical condition without any explanation at all, and her father probably knew just as much as Yang had up until that morning - that Blake was a coward who had a terrible habit of running away whenever something became too difficult to handle.

Once she had finally reached the end of the bridge, Blake stopped just before the island's entrance, and gave the bottom hem of her vest a gentle shake.

"Hey," she said, peering down into her inhabited pocket. "We're here. Time for you to take the lead."

The canary cracked open a tired, lilac-colored eye, and let out an unenthused chirp as she stretched her feathers out over her head. She shifted her position a few times until she was able to climb up out of the pocket, and fly out to Blake's front where she quickly transformed back into her more familiar, Human self. "How long was I out?"

Blake gave her a small smile. "Well, when we left, it was just about midday. Considering the sun set several hours ago, I'd say you had more than enough sleep to walk the rest of the way."

Yang started to cross her left arm over her chest, her brow furrowing in what Blake knew would be an attempt at sass, but when the former boxer glanced down at the stump of her right arm, her expression took on a look of sorrow, and her left arm immediately fell back to its side. She turned away from Blake before the Faunus could react, and started in a hurry toward Patch's entrance. "Come on. It's about a three-hour walk through the Northern Woods."

With a short sigh, Blake resumed her trek, picking up her pace to match Yang's. She made it a point to walk along Yang's right side, the one she knew her partner had developed many insecurities about. When she was in her canary form, Yang didn't seem to mind at all that she only had half a wing - her left was still able to compensate for what was missing, allowing Yang to remain airborne for brief periods of time, and even when she wasn't buzzing around Blake's head and showing off her new shapeshifting ability, Yang still seemed so much lighter and happier in the new body. But this Yang - the one who walked beside her now in sullen silence - was anything but happy. Blake knew she was trying; trying to be strong, trying to forget that half of her right arm was gone and never coming back, and most importantly, trying to forget that only a few short months ago, Blake had left her the same way both of her mothers did before her, and then Ruby after that.

She didn't deserve any of this. Before the Battle of Beacon, Yang had been probably the brightest, strongest, and most carefree person that Blake had ever known. Even through all of the loss and bad hands that life had dealt her, Yang _still_ put those she cared about first before she even began to think about herself, and she was always able to see the good in just about everyone, one of the only people who had ever given Blake the benefit of the doubt when she learned about her status with the White Fang. Blake was the sole reason Yang had lost her arm, and with it her confidence and strength. She was the sole reason Yang had been bedridden, struck with depression, and the reason the blonde refused to look her in the eye at that moment in time. If Yang had never met Blake, she never would have come to know the absolute disaster that was Adam Taurus…

After walking nearly a half-hour in silence, Blake decided she wouldn't take it anymore. She wasn't going to let Yang wallow over something that had always been so completely out of her control. The dark-haired girl took a short side-step closer to her partner, and reached up slowly with her left hand until she found the other girl's right shoulder. Yang flinched at the contact, and for the first time since they'd stepped foot on the wooded island, she turned to face Blake. Her violet eyes were wide with a mixture of confusion and pain, and as they moved from Blake's gaze down to the hand on her shoulder, tears began to brim and fall as she forced herself to take in the sight of her stump.

" _Yang_ ," Blake whispered as she traced her fingers down the crinkled leather of the folded right sleeve. " _I'm so sorry…_ "

The blonde sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, blinking away a small pool of tears. "It's not your fault, Blake."

"But it is!" She lowered her hand from Yang's arm and curled her fingers into her palm, nails digging into her skin as she held Yang's gaze once more. " _Everything_ that has happened to you - to _all_ of us in the past year is all my fault! Adam, the White Fang, Torchw-"

"Ruby got involved with Torchwick before you even knew who he was," Yang interrupted, her voice hollow as she slowed her pace, eventually coming to a complete halt. " _You_ weren't the one who corrupted the White Fang. _You_ weren't the one who turned th-that _man_ into a monster. _He_ is the one responsible for this, Blake. They _all_ are the ones responsible for this, and your history with Adam wouldn't have stopped any of this from coming. It was Cinder's plan all along to attack Beacon. For the White Fang to infiltrate and kill anyone who got in the way. He hurt you, Blake, and I tried to stop him. It's _my_ fault for going in without understanding what - _who_ \- I was dealing with."

Blake shook her head. "But it's my fault he went after you. I've already told you, Yang, he wants to destroy everything I care about, and that includes you, Ruby, Weiss, and all of the friends I've made at Beacon."

Yang drew in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before tearing her gaze away from Blake, and letting it out in a sharp huff. "How many more times do I have to spell it out for you? _You_ are not Adam. _You_ are not the one who made him this way. _You_ did not make those decisions for him, and _you_ are not the one who cut off my arm! _He_ hurt _you_ , Blake! You don't have to blame yourself for that! It's _not_ your fault."

She knew. She _knew_ that Yang's words were the truth - at least the ones concerning Adam - but it didn't change the fact that she still felt guilty. Still felt like she needed to prove to Yang her loyalty, still felt like she needed to take a beating for her partner's sake. Yang had already lost so much at Blake's expense, whether it was inadvertently or not, and no matter how many times the blonde tried to make Blake believe that she wasn't hurting because of her, she knew that a part of Yang was still angry at her for leaving.

"He may have taken your arm, Yang, but I took more than that."

Yang tensed, and slowly turned back around to face Blake. She blinked, clearly taken off-guard by the other girl's choice of words, but after a moment, her muscles visibly relaxed, and she forced a small smile. "Yeah, you kind of did," she said with an empty chuckle. "But I don't want it back. Not yet. I'm trusting you to keep it safe."

Blake furrowed her eyebrows. "Yang, I-"

"Can we not talk about this anymore?" Yang took a few steps toward Blake, and extended her left arm, open palm up. "I've already said what I wanted to say, okay? So let's just keep walking. We've still got a long way to go."

Blake swallowed, and gave her a short nod. She glanced down at Yang's open hand, an invitation to forget the past once and for all, and to move on to bigger and better things. Blake tried her best to smile, and started to reach for Yang's hand, but she stopped herself, remembering that there was still one more thing she needed to address.

"Oh, come on, I'm getting restless," Yang sighed, beginning to lower her arm back to her side, but Blake quickly reached forward and grabbed her hand before Yang could completely give up hope.

"No, wait," she said, giving Yang's hand a gentle squeeze. "I just… I wanted to know… Do you prefer your other form?"

The blonde frowned. "I… I mean, it's a lot more convenient, and I got to rest for most of the day while you did all of the walking, but-"

Blake smirked. "No, that's not what I meant… When you changed back into yourself earlier at the bridge, it seemed like you forgot about… all of _this_." She nodded at Yang's right arm, which, as always, was hanging limply at her side. "You just seem… _happier_ the other way."

Yang shifted her hand so that hers was on top, and she tightened her grip around Blake's fingers as she started to move forward once more. "Let's walk and talk, okay? We can't be wasting any more time."

Blake followed, silently waiting for her partner to continue.

"Yes," she answered simply after a moment, her voice low with just the tiniest hint of resentment. "It's… it's not that I _prefer_ my other form more, it's just… easier. I mean, when I first came to you, you didn't know it was me. You thought I was just a wounded little bird who needed someone to take care of me, and while okay, that part actually really kind of sucked, it was still so much _easier_ for you to talk to me in that way. If I had come as myself, Blake, don't tell me you wouldn't have immediately tried to run."

 _But I_ did _try to run anyway…_ Blake bit her lip and found her eyes wandering to their intertwined hands, wondering why it was so much easier to reach out to a little bird than it was to her Human best friend, despite them being the same exact person.

"And let's face it," Yang continued, picking up her pace as she led Blake underneath a couple of low-hanging branches that were still wet with what was left of a late-winter snow. "I make a damn fine bird."

Blake immediately choked on a surprised laugh. "Y-Yang!"

Her friend glanced at her, her lips etching into a cocky smirk before it quickly faded back into a sad, thin-lipped smile. "I'm serious. I… I feel incomplete without my arm, Blake… I don't feel like _me_ anymore… But I feel a part of that comes back when I'm in my other form. Sure, I only have a wing-and-a-half, but it's surprisingly easy to fly with just one wing when it's all I've ever known. I haven't figured out how to compensate with my left hand yet in my Human form… I still can barely even write my own name, much less get myself dressed without having to ask my dad to help me with these stupid buttons…"

She let go of Blake's hand for a moment to brush a few strands of golden hair out of her face, letting out a small puff of defeat as the locks fell right back into place over her eyelids. She shook her head, and reached back down for Blake's hand, looking up at her partner with the most genuine of smiles.

"And probably the best part about being able to shapeshift is that I can finally make myself smaller than you. I can fit inside your palms and be as close to you as I want." Yang ducked her head as her cheeks began to redden in what little light the moon gave off through the cracks of the tall, surrounding trees. "I don't know, I just feel safer when I'm around you."

Blake couldn't fight the tears that brimmed in her eyes, but for once, they weren't the result of pain. Despite everything she and Yang had been through, despite Adam hurting them both and threatening to do so much worse, Yang _still_ wanted to be around Blake, still trusted her enough to feel safe. Never had Blake really understood the luxury of physical affection until she had met Yang, until Yang had hugged her for the first time all those months ago to assure her that everything would be okay. And despite the fact that everything _still_ fell apart in the end, being right there in that forest with Yang, feeling her touch and hearing her say out loud how much it meant to her, were two of the most unexpected luxuries Blake never knew she needed until now.

"Yang," she sniffled as she met the blonde's sparkling gaze. "You don't have to be a bird to get close to me… Just ask… ask and I'll try to give you whatever you need."

Yang responded by giving Blake's hand another gentle squeeze. "Don't worry about it," she said, her voice soft and reassuring. "Just having you back is all I need."


	4. Promise

**A/N: Another beautiful chapter written by my partner Lux! Enjoy!**

* * *

Normal still didn't exist, and neither did happy for that matter. The walk through the forests of Patch maintained the air of glumness and guilt as Blake continued to struggle with believing Yang when Yang said all she needed was Blake right by her side. She still felt indebted, still felt like she had to somehow find a way to glue Yang's heart back together. And as for Yang... a part of her felt more useless than ever. There used to be days where Yang could fix most everything with a smile and a bad pun, and even in the worst case scenarios she somehow knew just what to say.

Now...

Now Blake was swallowed by her own guilt. And Yang's smile, Yang's puns, and Yang's words had all failed her. Maybe it was because of what they were paired with – something Yang never had before – doubt. Everything that Yang had told Blake was the utmost truth. She really was happy to have Blake back. And she really – _really_ – didn't need Blake doing _anything_ that would risk taking her away again _just_ because Blake felt as if she owed her anything, that Yang couldn't protect herself let alone them both. But things just weren't that simple. Nothing was as it was back in Beacon.

Ruby was missing. Weiss was trapped. Yang was an empty vessel in comparison to what she used to be. And Blake just did not – _could not_ – realise that the _only_ way she could hurt them now _wasn't_ by staying. It _wasn't_ Adam, _wasn't_ the White Fang, and _wasn't_ dragging them into her personal wars... There was nothing _anyone_ or _anything_ could do to them that would hurt more than Blake running away again... The one thing Blake saw as the most sure-fire way of protecting them from all of the above, and from Blake herself.

"Hey, Blake, take a right at the great oak up ahead. I have something to show you."

Blake just hummed and nodded, her eyes tirelessly scanning the treeline that constantly surrounded them, flitting from rustle to rustle, shadow to shadow, refusing to let anything slip by unnoticed. Patch's forests weren't the most dangerous of places. The main town itself was small, the entirety of it constantly in the shadow of Signal Academy, and the streets were always crowded by small-time market stalls. As such, Signal alumni made a point of maintaining forest life so that families could escape the small town and venture out into the beautiful, usually still, forests that hid it away.

Even now, Yang knew they wouldn't find any Grimm. Qrow might have followed Ruby, and her father might have taken an extended vacation so he could constantly watch his eldest daughter in her one single hour of need, but Signal had other teachers. And more importantly, former members of Beacon had not forgotten what it meant to be huntsmen. In fact, Yang had heard the names of Team Cardinal being praised by her father on more than one occasion; a fact that would have brought a small smile to the blonde's lips had she been capable of such expression in the months that led to this very moment.

Yang followed Blake as they arrived at the great oak and the raven-haired girl turned right, coming across a row of thorny rosebushes. She turned to Yang and raised an eyebrow, and Yang just nodded in response. Raising Gambol Shroud, Blake hacked away the overgrowth and pressed on, coming upon a small clearing on the other side and instinctively let out a whistle. A tree rustled and some birds took flight but, once again, there were no Grimm to be found.

"So where exactly are you taking me?" she asked curiously. Blake might not have ever visited the island, but she knew her geography, and she knew the way to Patch. This wasn't it.

"Just a little detour," Yang responded as she took the lead, nodding across the clearing where more rosebushes awaited them. "Care to do the honours?" she asked and Blake did so, cutting away yet more overgrowth and stepping through with another whistle. "There's no Grimm. Trust me."

Blake shot her a sideway glance before whistling again. The two fell silent as they listened intently. Not a single twig snapping. Not a single leaf rustling. Not even the cool breeze. Things were quiet - peaceful.

"Told you so," Yang boasted with a transitory smirk. "Now come on, it's not much further."

From that moment, Blake followed Yang wordlessly, their biggest enemies comprised of brambles, bushes, and a single fallen tree which they cleared with ease. Finally, after fifteen minutes of going in the complete opposite direction of their destination, they arrived at Yang's last resort, and Blake's eyes widened, her jaw dropping.

"This is..." Blake struggled for a few moments to find the word as she took in the scene of a small lake, surrounded by a meadow of red roses and yellow sunflowers, with deer calmly drinking across the waterway. The water reflected the sun's light perfectly, and cawing birds, skittering animals and the returning breeze somehow all proved more serene than the quiet of the journey itself.

She never did find the word as Yang stepped forward, taking Blake's hand and pulling her along as they waded through knee-high grass and vegetation – mindful of the red and yellow flowers the entire way – and continued on until they reached the water's edge. It was here where Yang released Blake's hand, and she crouched down, the water – tinted orange by its reflection of the Sun – also reflecting Yang's face.

It was strange to the blonde how, despite all colour having drained from her world since that fateful night months ago, the water still managed to capture what no camera or painting or mirror ever could. In _this_ reflection, even while frowning, Yang was as vibrant as ever, the sparkling orange waters proving to be the perfect backdrop for her ever-wild hair and round lilac eyes. She couldn't help but smile down at herself, for the first time in a long, _long_ time, before reaching out to the water and tapping the surface with her index finger. The little splash wet her hand while the ripples distorted her image and the patterns of orange mesmerised her for a moment.

As Yang lost herself in the simplest pleasure, Blake just stood back, observing. While she could no longer read Yang's mind, in that moment, she was sure they were back on the same wavelength. She thought about how Yang was beautiful and vibrant, how the crystal clear waters reflected the warm sunlight in a perfect display of nature resonating with nature. And she thought about how Yang had just smiled, the fullest and warmest smile she'd seen today, and how Yang was probably thinking the exact same things. She smiled in turn as her partner brought her finger to the water's surface and broke the glistening stillness, replacing it with the equally fascinating dancing waves of orange, before submerging her hand completely. A few moments later it re-emerged, temporarily holding water until it slowly trickled its way out through the creases and gaps and returned to the lake from whence it came.

"Can you row?" Yang suddenly asked, shattering Blake's reverie and catching her completely off-guard. Blake went to respond, confusion in her voice as her brows knitted together.

"I..."

"The boat," Yang clarified, nodding toward a small rowing boat tied to a log in the ground that Blake had failed to notice entirely, first being too caught up with the meadow itself, and now being too caught up with the lake. Catching on, Blake nodded, and gave the affirmative, prompting Yang to smile again. "Great!" she said with what Blake swore was _real_ enthusiasm before taking her by the arm and pulling her along as they reached the boat and climbed in. "You see that island with an apple tree on it?" she asked pointing toward it.

"That's an island?" Blake asked honestly, having failed to realise even that. All the while she untied the boat and readied for sail.

"Yep!" Yang replied, once more managing genuine enthusiasm. "Take us there." Blake nodded and gripped the oar only for Yang's hand to fall atop one of Blake's. "Slowly, okay? There's fish in these waters that don't deserve to be disturbed." Blake nodded again before finally pushing away from land and proceeding to slowly, carefully, row her way toward the island.

As they made their journey, things remained still, beautiful, and perfect. The sun was welcome, the water glistened and rippled, and even the sounds of the oar pushing them through the water added to the ambience. Yang's energy grew with each stroke, and her infectious aura further brightened Blake's own mood as she internally tried to figure out exactly what it was about this place that made the blonde so happy.

Nostalgia was the obvious suspicion, but of what? Had Taiyang taught Yang how to row here? Were the roses a tribute to Ruby and Yang from Summer and Tai? Or perhaps they were a symbol of their love for each other? Whatever the reason, Yang wanted Blake to know it, and Blake couldn't wait. It was this shared anticipation that led the duo into a welcome silence, Yang looking ahead to fun-filled memories and Blake waiting to be told all about them.

* * *

When they arrived, Blake had to leave the boat first – as much as Yang wanted to play chivalry and offer Blake an innocent hand. She tied the boat securely to shore while Yang joined her on dry land, quietly noting how she'd have taught Blake how to tie a better knot had she the hands for it. Blake didn't pick up on the ever-so-slight dip in mood, nor did Yang let it get her down as Blake pushed herself back to a stable base from her crouch.

"So what's so important you had... to..."

Blake's question petered out slowly as she turned to see the apple tree, and it became all too clear just how small the island they were on really was. It stood more than ten feet away, but it was close enough for Blake to notice that something was clearly etched into the treebark. Rather than finish her question, Blake merely walked up to the tree itself, followed all the while by a smiling Yang. In mere moments she was within touching distance, and she reached out her hand, brushing over the engraved message.

 _We love you, Mom._

 _Ruby + Yang_

Tears pricked at Blake's eyes as her throat closed up, constricting the words she tried again and again to choke out. "W-Why did you bring me here?" she finally croaked out, turning to Yang with a quivering lip and cloudy eyes. "Why would you bring me here?"

Yang responded by stepping forward, reaching out, and hugging her friend. "Because you're family, Blake. No matter how many times you run. No matter how far. You're part of me now. And nothing will ever change that." It was Yang's turn to tear up as she tried one last time to make Blake see. "I don't care what happened before. All I care about is what is happening right here, right now, and what the future holds. For Ruby, for Summer, for Taiyang and Qrow, for Weiss, and for you and Raven..."

Blake listened to her friend's words, to the acceptance she denied ever wanting. "Oh, Yang..." she whispered shakily, returning Yang's hug, clutching her just as tightly as Yang did her. There they remained, holding each other, basking in the presence, the warmth, that both had needed since the day Blake left. Eventually Yang pulled away, wiping away her tears and sniffling before placing her hand on Blake's shoulders and looking the girl straight in her honey yellow eyes.

"I thought that maybe bringing you here would make you realise how important you are to me – to _all of us._ My dad's known about this place since he was younger. The birdhouses were for Raven. The roses were for Summer. The sunflowers were for me. The tree was for Ruby. Summer taught me how to row, and how to fish, on that very pond. And I taught Ruby. The first time Ruby managed to row out here, we decided to dedicate it to Summer, and we made sure to let her know just how much we love her, for everything she did for us, even though she left us too soon, and we had to finish it all ourselves..."

Blake glanced over her shoulder for the barest of seconds before meeting Yang's gaze once more, and smiling. And for the first time, there wasn't a doubt in Yang's mind that it was real. "Thank you for showing me this, Yang."

Yang smiled back. "Anytime, partner. It's your home, too, now." With that, Yang turned back toward the boat. "Take your time, I'll be here when you're ready to leave," she said with each step toward the boat, only to glance over her shoulder upon reaching. "And Blake?" she asked, grabbing Blake's attention from the engravings. "I hope you're here when I bring Weiss."

Blake smiled once more. "Promise."


	5. New Home

**A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry it's been a while since the last update, I've been recovering from tooth surgery and haven't really been able to look at a computer screen for too long until just recently. But here ya go, a nice lengthy bit to hold ya'll over until the next one! Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to follow my writing partner, Kitty Lux, and check out some more of her fantastic work!**

 **Please review and share!**

* * *

Twenty steps. Twenty more steps, and they would finally have reached their destination. Blake could clearly make out the narrow dirt path that led from the entrance of the woods to the front door of the small, cozy cabin where she knew Yang's father would be waiting for them. The path had a few small potholes that were the result of erosion from the latest winter's snowfall, and a few of them still had tiny puddles of water where the snow had just recently melted away. Although Spring had come to Vale nearly a month ago, the mountains of Patch were always the last to thaw, and the last to bloom. Compared to the rest of the island, and the rest of the woods, which had all long since grown new leaves and sprouted new plants, something about the Rose-Xiao Long household just felt… _bare_.

"Well, I think we've been standing here long enough," Yang said from beside Blake, stretching her left arm over her head as she shook out the few remaining feathers from her hair. "What are you waiting for?"

After the duo had finally left the Rose-Xiao Long family island, Yang had returned to her canary form for the remainder of the hike, taking refuge in Blake's vest once more to catch another hour of sleep. Now that they had finally arrived, however, Blake's legs felt as if they would give out on her, and she wasn't sure if she was able to take one more step. She hadn't slept in almost two days, had been walking nonstop for over twelve hours, and she couldn't even remember the last time she'd eaten a proper meal. It was a miracle she'd even been able to make it this far without collapsing from exhaustion, but having Yang there with her definitely helped. If she had had to make this journey alone, there was no doubt she would probably still be stuck at Beacon Cliff, looking for any excuse not to leave.

Blake blinked when she felt a hand on her back, and turned to face Yang with a hesitant frown. "I think I should wait here."

Yang furrowed her eyebrows. "What? Why? Don't you want to meet my dad?"

The Faunus sighed, and slowly turned her gaze back toward the wooden house that sat before her. "I… That's not the problem, Yang."

Her partner lowered her hand, and followed Blake's gaze to her childhood home. "He's not going to judge you, Blake. My dad's a very open-minded person."

"I'm not worried about _that_ , either…" Blake glanced down at the path under her feet, clenching her fists at her sides as she tried to find the right words. "Yang, I left you… And _I'm_ the reason you lost your arm. How is he going to react when he learns that?"

"Blake, I thought we've already been over this. Me losing my arm was _not_ your fault, so stop saying that." Yang lifted her hand to Blake's shoulder once more, and Blake looked up to meet soft, forgiving lilac eyes. "And you're my partner, and _friend_. My dad would never hurt any of my friends."

Blake shook her head. "Maybe not your dad, but what about your uncle? He doesn't seem like the forgive-and-forget type of person."

Yang shrugged. "He rarely drops by. Ever since I've been back on my feet, he's stopped checking in, and he kind of has a whole kingdom to put back together right now."

"That's a lot of responsibility for one man."

"Well, he's not alone. I saw Professor Goodwitch doing some reconstruction when I was flying over Downtown Vale, but yeah, it's a pretty big mess." She gave Blake's shoulder a light pat. "Anyway, enough about that. We've got stuff to do, but we can't do it until we talk to my dad. So stop stalling, and let's go."

Blake sucked in a deep breath, and gave her friend a short nod. "Any chance he'd be willing to let me rest for a bit before we head back out? I'm kind of exhausted."

Yang smiled. "Heh, yeah, I kind of made you do all of the walking, didn't I?"

"And the rowing. And the talking."

The blonde laughed. "Okay, I get it. Come on, let's go inside."

Blake finally allowed her feet to move as she took a few steps toward the house, stopping just for a moment so Yang could take the lead. When they reached the door, Yang hesitantly lifted her hand to the latch, fumbling with it a couple of times before shifting all of her weight to her left side and using her shoulder to shove it open. She exhaled sharply, straightening her back as she turned back to Blake, and feigned a smile. As much as she tried to pretend she was coping, Blake could easily tell Yang was still having trouble adjusting to being permanently left-handed.

"Dad?" she called out as she stepped into the kitchen, Blake in tow. "I'm back!" She stopped at the table and pulled out a chair, dropping down into it with a tired huff. She gestured toward an empty chair across from her. "Sit. Make yourself at home."

 _Whatever that is,_ Blake thought to herself as she walked over to the table, unclasping Gambol Shroud from her back and setting it on the tabletop. She lowered herself to the chair across from Yang, and was just about to open her mouth to speak when another voice rang out from the other side of the house.

"I'll be out in a minute!" The sounds of shuffling and clanking sounded from the same room as the voice, and Yang furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she strained her neck to see inside the next room.

"What are you doing in there? Do you need help?"

"Ah, found it!" The shuffling stopped, and was replaced by the clicking of a door being shut. It was then promptly followed by heavy footsteps, and Blake turned around just in time to see a tall man with short blond hair, bright blue eyes, and an outfit very similar in color to Yang's old combat attire. He appeared relieved but distraught at the same time, the way his smile didn't quite reach his eyes, and the way his gaze moved almost imperceptibly from Yang's own eyes down to her arm and back in just a flicker of a second, led Blake to believe that the man had doubted, even just briefly, that Yang would return at all. Still, he tried nonetheless, and once he had finished mentally scanning his daughter for any injuries, he turned his attention to Blake with a curious, but inviting smile. "You must be one of Yang's teammates. You don't look much like a Schnee, so I'm going to assume it's… Blaine?"

"Dad, I've told you her name like a hundred times! It's Blake!"

Blake blinked, glancing over at Yang with a mild blush. _A hundred times?_ She let out a quiet chuckle and turned back to her friend's father. "Hello, it's nice to meet you."

The man extended his left hand, and Blake took it, giving it a firm shake before he withdrew and dropped his arm back to his side. "It's nice to meet you, too, _Blake_. You can call me Taiyang."

She nodded, giving him a small smile. _Taiyang_ … She wondered briefly if there was anything _else_ Yang had in common with the man - hair, color scheme, and name? She wondered if Taiyang had been the one to name his daughter, or if her biological mother had named her before she disappeared. And she wondered, like she often found herself doing ever since Yang told her the truth about her mother, if the woman regretted leaving Taiyang and their daughter behind. Did Yang even have anything in common with her mother? Blake knew her friend probably asked herself the same questions on more than just a regular occasion, but she still didn't know how to talk to Yang about it. She was afraid that if she ever brought up the subject, she would somehow say or do something to offend her partner, and the last thing she wanted was yet another reason for Yang not to trust her.

"So, Blake…" Taiyang started again, breaking the Faunus from her thoughts. She glanced up at him only to notice that he was eyeing Gambol Shroud, which was still splayed out on the table, unsheathed and dirtied from bark and leaves that she'd had to cut through quite a few times during hers and Yang's trek through the woods. "You've kept yourself busy since the fall of Beacon?"

Blake winced at the man's implications, feeling herself shrink back in her chair as she averted her gaze to the floor. How was she supposed to answer that? While, no, the past few months hadn't exactly been the most eventful since she'd decided to hide out in Beacon's ruins, it didn't change the fact that she'd still run, still hidden herself from Yang when Yang needed her most, and it was clear her father knew - or at least suspected - that Blake had played a _huge_ part in causing the inner turmoil that his daughter had been dealing with ever since she came home.

Fortunately, she didn't have to answer. Before she could open her mouth to speak, Yang forced out a series of rough coughs, drawing her father's attention away from Blake. His expression immediately transformed from one of curiosity into concern, and he moved with a speed that nearly rivaled Ruby's over to Yang's side of the table.

"Are you okay?" he asked, laying a hand on his daughter's back as she finally stopped coughing and began to regain control over her breathing.

She looked up at him with the most pathetically apologetic expression Blake had ever seen her use, and that was when Blake realized her partner had just faked the entire scenario. "I think I'm okay, but can I get some water?" she asked her father weakly, and Blake had to suppress a laugh as the man turned quickly away and headed over to the stove.

"How about I put on some tea for you girls?"

"Please," Yang choked out, glancing over at Blake with a smirk. _You're welcome_ , she mouthed, earning an eye-roll from her friend.

 _You're a terrible actor_ , Blake mouthed back. _But thanks._

Yang scrunched her eyebrows. "What did you just call me?"

Taiyang turned around at the sound of his daughter's voice, his brows furrowed in confusion. "What's going on?"

Blake sighed, lifting a hand to her head as Yang feigned an innocent smile. _Yep, she's still Yang..._

The man smirked, a knowing smile forming at the corners of his lips. "Ah, I see how it is."

Yang blinked. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I've been a father for going on eighteen years, now. I know when my daughters are keeping secrets and enjoying their little inside jokes." He turned back to the stove just as the tea kettle began to whistle, and moved it to an unoccupied burner. Blake watched as he reached up into a cupboard above the stove and pulled down two tea cups before taking the kettle and pouring the warm beverage into each cup. He placed them on a small tray and carried them over to the table, setting a cup down in front of each girl. "There's some sugar on the counter if you'd like," he said. "I'll give you two some privacy."

"Thanks, Dad," Yang said, giving her father an appreciative nod. He smiled back, ruffling her hair and causing her to wince. Instead of snapping at him like Yang usually did when people touched her hair, however, she let out an exaggerated huff and rolled her eyes as Taiyang turned away.

"If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask," he said, more to Blake than to Yang. "I'll be in the living room." With that, he stepped out of the kitchen, leaving the girls alone once more.

"So what was that?" Yang suddenly asked and Blake only spared her a sidelong glance, her voice monotone, the meekness with which Blake spoke to Yang's father now entirely absent.

"I thanked you for your bad acting skills."

"Oh..." was her friend's only response before her brow scrunched, real offense setting in as she realized exactly what Blake was implying. "Hey! I'm a great actress!"

Blake smirked. "Yeah, and I'm not a natural brunette."

Yang feigned a gasp. "You're _not_? Next you're going to tell me those cat ears aren't real!"

The Faunus winked at her friend, grinning as she wiggled her very real second set of ears. "If they were fake, would I be able to do this?"

"Cybernetic," the other girl answered without missing a beat. "Atlesian technology has made some incredible advances in the last decade." She glanced down at what was left of her right arm, and shrugged. "Maybe we could take a detour to Atlas and get the General to build me a new arm…"

Blake suddenly frowned, all positive energy leaving her body once more as she found herself staring at Yang's severed arm. "Is… is that what you really want? After everything that happened with Penny, and-"

"Relax, it was just a joke," Yang quickly added, though her dull, barely visible half-smile seemed to say otherwise. "Besides, even if he _would_ be willing, we'd have no idea how to find him."

"Winter Schnee might know," Blake said, sitting up straighter in her chair and finally lifting her gaze back to meet her friend's. "We could go to Atlas, track down Weiss."

Yang bit her lip. "Blake… her father took her away from us for a reason… He doesn't trust us…"

"He doesn't trust _us,_ or he doesn't trust _her_?" Blake sucked in a deep breath, Weiss's voice filling her head as she thought about everything the heiress had told her and Yang about her father back at Mountain Glenn. After their first match against Team ABRN, Weiss's father had cut her off financially, and up until the Fall of Beacon, she'd been ignoring all of his calls. Weiss had been avoiding her father like a bad virus, but now that she was back in his clutches, there was no telling what he'd been doing to her. "We need to find her."

The blonde shook her head. "But what about Ruby? We need to find _her_ first."

Blake sighed. "We _will_ find her. I promise." She reached across the table, past Gambol Shroud, and laid a hand on top of Yang's. "But this is Ruby we're talking about. She's with three other people, three of our _friends_. She's not alone… Weiss on the other hand? She's stuck in Atlas with one of the most arrogant, harshest men in the Four Kingdoms. She needs to be with her friends, and if we can get her to come with us, we'd have one more person to help us track down your sister."

Yang glanced down at Blake's hand, closing her eyes for a moment as she seemed to process Blake's words. Almost a minute later, she finally opened her eyes, and exhaled slowly. "Maybe you're right… It _would_ be nice to get the gang back together. _But_ I need more time to think about it."

"That's okay," the brunette assured her. "We can talk about it again tomorrow." She lowered her hand back to her side, and leaned back in her chair, letting out a tired hum. "You don't think your dad would mind if I take that nap now, though, right?"

Her friend nodded, and managed a small smile. "Hey, Dad?" she called out, turning her attention to the open doorway that led into the living room on the other side of the wall.

Taiyang appeared in the doorway, casually leaning a hand against the frame. "What's up?"

"Blake wants to rest for a bit. Which room should she take?"

The man smiled, glancing over at Blake. "Ruby and Yang's room is at the end of the hall on the left. If you want some privacy, mine's on the right. I've been using Yang's lately, but you're more than welcome to take whichever you'd like."

Blake blinked twice, stunned by such a gracious offer of additional hospitality. "Th-thank you, Taiyang. It really means a lot."

"Anything for my girls' friends," he responded, waving off Blake's gratitude with a smile. "Just make yourself at home. Shower, snacks, sleep, anything you need, really. Just avoid the bed with the bright yellow sheets."

Blake found a smirk, casting a cruel eye over to her best friend. "Yellow, huh? Would never have guessed."

"Yeah, yeah," the blonde fired back. "At least my wardrobe doesn't look like it was ripped straight out of a bad ninja flick."

Blake's brow raised, accepting Yang's challenge. "No, it just looks like you're desperately trying to fit in with a biker gang, instead."

"At least I _am_ a biker. Or, well, used to be…" Yang glanced at her right arm and let out a light chuckle. "I guess you'll just have to drive me around on Bumblebee from now on."

"I…" Blake stopped, Yang's last comment catching her off-guard. Taiyang hummed in amusement, earning their collective attention.

"I can see why she talks about you so much," he said and Yang closed her eyes, tensing up as her father continued to broadcast her feelings toward her partner. Blake seemed to catch on, but she didn't say anything, instead standing from her chair and excusing herself, saying she had to go a grab the nap before they distracted her again, thanking Taiyang once more before making a hasty retreat toward the bedrooms. Her original goal had been Ruby's bed, clinging to the brief hope that she'd wake up to find Yang sleeping soundly in her own across the room; sheets changed as her father returned to his own. However, those intentions were scrapped upon noticing how perfectly made Ruby's bed was. She then glanced into Taiyang's room, spotting the messy sheets, the discarded clothing that was so obviously Yang's, and a sunflower she had come to learn was seen as synonymous with Yang in the eyes of her father.

She couldn't help herself, stepping into the room and slipping beneath the sheets. Over her time sleeping in the ruins of Beacon, she'd grown accustomed to rocks, metal, dirt, blood, and more, as well as sleeping fully clothed and with rips in her leggings. Comfort was a concept long since abandoned by the girl, and as such it didn't even cross her mind to remove her tattered clothes.

Settling down and getting comfy, Blake found herself absorbed in Yang's scent for the first time in months, weaker as it may have been since Yang had clearly stopped using her perfume since the incident. It reminded her of better days, days of Beacon, where Yang spent most of her waking hours spent within the dorm room on Blake's bed, and all four girls would just sit around and waste the night chatting together, only sometimes forgetting all about their homework. And then when Weiss finally remembered she'd swear it was the fault of everyone else, distracting her with their good company.

Blake smiled for a second - only a second - before she found herself reflecting on exactly how they had went from doing homework, dealing with the affection of boys, and watching Cardin get beat up by Nora in combat theory to, well... this... Homework was now recon, research, real investigation; combat theory now felt like it was kill or be killed; and stupid schoolgirl crushes had been replaced entirely by... something else... A need to redeem herself in the eyes of her team, a deep-rooted necessity to make Yang happy and keep her safe, a demand of herself to grow, get better, become the person that Yang deserved to call her partner...

One night had completely changed not just her life, but the entire world itself...

She shook away the thoughts, pushing them down into the same pit they had crawled out of, and rolled over, nuzzling against Yang's pillow and breathing in the scent of her shampoo once again. Familiar, warm, welcoming, the same hint of summer berries that she could smell on her own pillow back at Beacon. The smiles, good times and laughter returned, and Blake smiled once more, closing her eyes, thoughts of Yang, of her new home, filling her mind and gently lulling her to sleep.


	6. Keepsake

**A/N:** Here's another chapter by my wonderful writing partner, Kitty Lux! One last loose end before the real journey begins; a long, _long_ journey. Anyway, huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far; the support really goes a long way. For news on our upcoming original projects, and for more Bumblebee, RWBY, Blake, Yang, and gayness, follow us on Tumblr ej-the-cat and luxsp. And with that, I shall take my leave. Enjoy the last chapter of what is essentially the prologue to this tale.

* * *

 _Well that went better than expected..._

While Yang hadn't exactly lied to Blake when she said that Taiyang wouldn't ever go against her wishes, and certainly would never hurt Blake, the thought crossed her mind nonetheless. Even someone with a father as understanding and forgiving as her couldn't have expected wholesome, unconditional acceptance.

She figured she'd at least need to fend off some harsher questions, maybe break out the puppy dog eyes that she used to be known for before Ruby stole her crown. But no, Taiyang, despite being justified if he _did_ reject Blake, did not. Instead, he had invited her into his home, treated her like any of Yang's friends from Signal, and offered her sanctuary from a world of cruelty he knew all too well.

Of course, it wasn't without curiosity, questions, a need to help her. Yang's altruism wasn't inherent – it was learned. And it was that curiosity, that altruism, and that need to be a father – a father that Blake might never have had – that lurked beneath his steel blue eyes as they followed the girl as she disappeared up the hall. Those eyes promptly shifted back to Gambol Shroud, briefly wondering what kind of stories both swords had to tell before Yang cleared her throat.

"So..."

It was all she said, but it was all that needed to be. Taiyang's gaze moved from the blade to Yang before glancing down the hall and back once again. "So that's the girl, huh?" he finally asked and Yang just nodded. "The one you couldn't stop talking about before the tournament?" She nodded again. "And the one you defended when you lost your arm?" Nothing. Yang shifted uncomfortably, glancing down at the missing appendage.

"Tried to defend," she corrected, having long lost her ability to look her father in the eye. "I'd still have my arm otherwise..."

Her voice was careful, cautious, scared, her words measured yet unsure as she spoke. She really didn't blame Blake for what had happened. _She_ had chosen to jump to Blake's aid, and _she_ had charged in recklessly, and _she_ had gotten her own arm severed by Adam. She had tried to defend Blake. She did that. And it was her own fault that she lost her arm. She had failed. Something she had done way more often than anyone liked to admit back before Beacon's collapse.

But her thoughts weren't necessarily other people's; something Yang had learned over a decade ago now, back when Taiyang blamed himself for what almost became of herself and Ruby. That, too, was Yang's fault, but it didn't matter. Her dad had been the one broken by Summer's death. He was the one who stopped functioning, who couldn't answer his little girl's questions about her mother. If he had just told her what she wanted to know, she'd have never went to find them herself. He took that blame. Thankfully, it led to Taiyang recovering from his loss, and dedicating his life to being the father both of his daughters deserved. A silver lining to Yang's mistake had there ever been one.

"Relax," he simply spoke, easing Yang's mind. "It's not her fault." He let the silence hang for a few seconds before adding, "It's not yours either." That got Yang to finally meet his gaze once more, now stunned and confused. He appeared to read her mind once again, responding to a question she hadn't asked. "I don't think anyone could've been prepared for that monster, least of all two seventeen year olds with way too much emotion going into it. You shouldn't have been put in the situation to begin with, but it couldn't be helped, and we have Cinder to thank for that."

Yang merely blinked in response, a few stray tears falling as she did so and Taiyang averted his gaze temporarily before forcing himself to take in the sight of his once infinitely vibrant daughter crying once more. "Look, I know you don't plan on staying, no matter how much I want you to. But I'm not afraid, Yang. I trust her, and I trust you. It might not be easy, especially after everything that happened between you two, but…"

Breaking away once more, Taiyang reached into his pocket, producing a simple black necklace with a red-spattered white tooth attached. Yang wiped her tears as Taiyang reached across the table, dangling the pendant in offering to his daughter who slowly presented her open palm. After gently lowering the pendant into it, Yang slowly but surely clenched her fingers around the pendant, not quite knowing exactly what she had just accepted.

"I've been looking for it longer than you've been looking for her. I knew you'd be back on your feet eventually, and I knew you'd be following Ruby no matter what. So I got to digging through every closet this house has for it."

Yang rose her now-clenched fist until it was level with her eyes. Relaxing just enough for the tooth to fall loose and dangle free, she inspected it before glancing back across the table toward her father. "What… is it exactly?" she asked, and Taiyang glanced down at the ground momentarily before looking back up, his left hand raising to rub his neck.

"I don't know for sure. It seems to be a Grimm Artifact. Bone imbued with the 'essence of the Grimm'. That is if you believe the cultists. Your mother was fascinated by them. Left this one behind before she… before she left you with me. She said to give it to you when 'the time was right' - said I'd just know it was when your life reached a point where it was never not in danger. And if this ain't that time then I don't know what is… Maybe it'll bring some good luck, at the very least."

Eyelids fluttering shut to hide a sheen of moisture, Yang let out a smile as she brought the pendant closer to her heart at which point they snapped back open, and her grip tightened on the small artifact. Her mind raced as her heart pounded, ached, conflict ran rampant and the pit of her stomach raged against the warmth. How could she accept this? How could her mother disappear for years, and yet still be loved for such a tiny gesture? How did this even start to change a thing? Raven was still gone. Qrow was still on the booze. Taiyang's heart was still shattered. And Yang herself still grew up in the warmth of Summer. No wonder Taiyang rarely spoke her name.

"Wait… Why are you telling me this?" She finally asked, her hand dropping to the table and completely relaxing, letting the pendant fall out and tangle with itself. Her father hadn't spoken about Raven for as long as Yang had remembered. Qrow told her most of what she knew on the way back from that little shack in the forest, and she'd picked up a few extra tidbits from the leads she'd followed to countless dead ends.

"Because Qrow's told you more," Taiyang fired back instantly. "Because you're following in his and her footsteps. Because you'd eventually find out anyway." Two more rapid-fire explanations, each one delivered with more resignation than the last. "But mostly… mostly because she asked me to…."

That last one came out softer, quieter, and for Yang it drove home one simple fact. Despite her mother disappearing for years, despite Qrow becoming an alcoholic, and Taiyang's heart shattering, despite his daughter lacking any memory of her biological mother, despite the conflict, the heartache, the rage… Taiyang still loved her, even without there being a single tiny gesture to prove that she still loved him.

Quickly swiping the artifact and stuffing it in her pocket, Yang stood up from the table, the suddenness grabbing Taiyang's attention, his expression one of confusion and concern. "Err… Thanks, Dad. I just gotta go grab a nap, too. It's tiring flying with one wing." Her lame excuse in place, and Yang made her way down the hall, leaving Taiyang all alone. He let out a sigh, knowing all too well how overwhelming it could be to just so much as think about Raven, let alone to try and figure her out. Seeking a distraction, his hand reached out, grasping the hilt of Blake's dulling blade. After another quick inspection, he made a decision of how to fill the next few hours, and headed out to the grindstone, stopping only to grab his coat on the way.

* * *

Yang's thoughts were swimming as she walked down toward the bedrooms and away from her father. It just wasn't fair. Raven didn't deserve half of the love and loyalty she was given by the family she abandoned. Why was she _still_ playing so heavily on Yang's mind even while the blonde was falling apart and had spent the past month or so barely functioning? Why did she _still_ want to search for her? And why did Taiyang still keep his own promises when Raven had broken the most important vows of all - the vows of marriage, love, and parenthood?

It wasn't fair, in fact it was torture. Raven left them, disappearing into the night never to be seen again, breaking more than one heart, and leaving a daughter without her mother. For seventeen years she had stayed away, with no explanation or sign that she actually cared. Now she'd saved Yang's life, but told Qrow that she was never doing it again. Then she actually gives her something, an artifact, something Raven was "fascinated" with, and yet she had stolen Yang's childhood from her, or at least the first half of it.

It didn't make Yang feel loved. It just all added to the betrayal. Why save her only to leave? She wouldn't even be in such a position if Raven had just stayed. A huff left her as her eyes flickered to red. Why was she searching for a woman who had never wanted to be found? Why did she love a woman who clearly didn't care how much she was hurting? Why couldn't Yang just think straight!?

In the next moment, Yang had transformed into her canary form and flew out of the window, spreading her wings and soaring laps around their log cabin, each one growing progressively faster as her rage built. Her injured wing throbbed in pain as she struggled to maintain her balance and, with it, her flight, but she wasn't stopping. She continued, lap after lap the pain built, but the rage slowly seeped out of her as she felt the wind against her tiny body. Suddenly, she let out a pained tweet as she dipped involuntarily, panicking as she tried to compensate for her failing wing with her healthy one.

Just one more lap, a few more seconds, the window was almost back in view. She called out once more in panic and pain, and feared for a few seconds that she'd fall to the ground and transform back right in front of her father. She dipped again, losing altitude as she homed in on the window. At this rate she was going to hit the window ledge.

Flapping her wings desperately, Yang tried, tried and failed, to getting herself back on level with the window. That was until a black bird soared overhead, momentarily grabbing her attention. Equal parts determination and adrenaline suddenly filled her body, numbing the pain in her stump wing as she took a deep breath. Her wings started flapping in unison once more, and she regained altitude enough in those few seconds to slip in through the window.

Yang landed shakily on her feet, stumbling until she reached the nearest wall, her bird form already gone. She was clutching her arm stump, seething in pain but she didn't lambast herself. Instead, she said two words just as soon as she was able. "Thanks, Qrow."

She then took in her surroundings, realising in that moment that she was leaning against the doorframe to her father's room, the one she had been using - and making a royal mess of - for far too long, and also the one that her friend was sleeping soundly in. Albeit with messy bedsheets, while fully clothed, and looking like she'd just won a gladiator tournament and needed one _hell_ of a soak in the tub.

She took a step inside, then another, slowly making her way over to Blake's sleeping body where she reached out with her good arm to push a stray, matted lock of Blake's hair back behind her right ear. Not that it made a difference, she had several more tangled knots, stray locks, dirty and damaged strands. It wasn't as jarring as it should have been, a girl who does typically take the time to maintain her appearance, or at least her health, suddenly looking like… _this_.

Blake had went days without taking care of herself before, back when she was searching for Roman. Still, knowing Blake's mindset was just the same, if not worse, now than it had been then broke Yang's fragile heart. She gave her sleeping friend a barely-there smile before reaching for the bedsheets and pulling them up toward Blake's shoulders. She also corrected Blake's pillow as much as she could without waking her, an act a lot easier said than done with just one arm.

Truth be told, Yang had been saying that to herself a lot lately. Part of the reason why she had barely functioned in the last few weeks was because she didn't know how. She had just barely figured out how to dress herself and shower without the aid of other people. But Taiyang was still cutting her food up for her, and Yang no longer had the freedom to ride Bumblebee or even play video games. Losing her right arm had taken away so much of her freedom and so many of her hobbies. Deep down, she knew she couldn't even fight.

Yang sighed, finishing the job of tucking Blake in before leaning against the wall and sinking to the floor. "What am I gonna do, Blake? What are _we_ gonna do? I'm scared, confused, I just… don't know anymore. Where's Ruby? Is she safe? Is Weiss? Where were you all this time? What were you doing? How can I possibly help any of you with just one arm? What happens when we're back together? What else awaits us? And when this is all said and done, what the hell do we do with our lives? How can any of us live normally after everything that's happened?"

Amidst her increasingly emotional rant, Yang had failed to notice that Blake had woken up. It was around the time of Yang wondering what good she was with one arm, but the mix of Yang's questions, Blake not truly having any answers, and waking up in alien comfort kept her silent. Then Yang glanced to her right, lilac eyes widening upon seeing Blake's brilliant amber. In response, Blake reached out, calloused fingers running gently over the back of Yang's left hand before slipping beneath it. Their fingers entwined and Blake gave Yang a half-smile.

"We'll figure it out," she said, a promise in her mind but she didn't dare say it out loud. Promises were too fragile to keep these days. Yang squeezed back, smiled back, and nodded.

"I hope so, Blake," she replied and Blake's half-smile became full.

"Good, I could use a little hope."

Yang's own smile became just as full, and their hands squeezed one another's as a content, welcome silence fell upon them both. It reigned for several moments as Blake just lay there, and Yang just sat there, smiling at each other, their hands locked, amber reflecting lilac, and lilac reflecting amber. Neither had had this in so long. And only now did they both realise how much they needed it.

"You should get back to sleep, Blake. You really need it."

Blake knew that to be true. In fact, she was completely drained. Even reaching out to take Yang's hand had been a struggle - one worth every ounce of energy. "Okay," she replied, letting her eyes flutter shut. "But you better be there, too."

Yang gave a hum, confident and knowing, traces of who she used to be. "I'll be right behind ya," she said, and with that Blake nuzzled into Yang's pillow, and felt Yang squeeze her hand one last time, before letting herself fall back into a deep slumber. Yang reclined her head, resting it against the wall and turning her gaze to the ceiling as she just sat there, clinging to the hand of her sleeping best friend as her own exhaustion set in. She didn't fight it as her vision faded and her eyes closed, and seconds later she was asleep.

* * *

When Yang woke up, it wasn't with back and neck ache and severe regrets of sleeping against a wall. It was on a mattress, beneath crimson red bedsheets that hadn't been touched in too long. She was cuddled into Ruby's pillow, huddled beneath Ruby's duvet, and the time told her she had slept for over ten hours. She glanced around the room, and eventually found Blake, who was sleeping in bed, Yang's bed. Well, her father's bed that Yang had been using since the incident. As for Yang, her father seemed to have found her passed out and promptly brought in to Ruby's mattress and bedsheets before tucking her in gently like the amazing father he was.

She smiled and stretched right as she heard a knock. _Speak of the Devil_. She gave a simple tired grunt to let whoever it was in, half expecting her father to be bringing her breakfast in bed or something. Instead, Qrow stepped in, and Yang pushed herself up with her one hand, looking over to him in shock.

"So this is your last day on this side of Vytal, huh?" he asked as he uncapped his flask and took a quick swig.

"At least until we find Ruby and Weiss," she responded and Qrow gave a single chuckle.

"And at most?"

Yang didn't respond to that. She didn't dare to. She had never been able to comprehend the worst case. Sensing his niece's hesitation, Qrow simply moved on, turning his gaze to where Blake was still sleeping soundly. "Well you found the one that didn't want to be. Shouldn't be too hard finding the girl in the diamond encrusted mansion, and Ruby is not your mother. You won't need my help finding her, but I have my leads if you want 'em."

"Yeah," Yang responded. "Yeah, thanks. We're thinking of heading to the Schnee estate first, though."

"I believe that's just called Atlas."

Yang rolled her eyes. "Come on, Qrow, at least pretend you're taking this seriously."

"I am," Qrow assured. "Look, Schnee might not own Atlas itself, but that doesn't change the fact they're all over it. Be careful out there. Ironwood knows first hand how much Weiss' father hates people who try to take his girls away from him."

"So, any particular reason you stopped by?" she asked, ignoring the obvious elephant.

"One last farewell." Qrow sounded almost sad, worried. Then again, his niece whose arm had just been chopped off was now going out there to fight the same monsters with one hand that she couldn't even take with two. "I don't know how often I'll be in Vale once you leave, honestly. I've got my own leads to follow now that…" Qrow stopped, then met Yang's eyes. "Just stay safe for me, okay, Firecracker?"

Yang nodded. "You'll see me again," she promised and Qrow smiled at her.

"Then bring me back a souvenir." He took another sip from his flask before he heard the door go, his head turning to register the sound. "That'll be Tai. Come on, get ready, he's been slaving over the stove all day." Yang nodded and started to get up before glancing at Blake. "Don't worry about her. Tai said to just let her rest. He'll make more once she's caught up on all those lost nights." After a short moment of silence, Yang's focus clearly on her sleeping partner, Qrow spoke up once more. "I'll leave you to get ready."

Yang nodded, letting Qrow excuse himself before getting changed and kissing Blake on the forehead. "Rest up, Blakey. We've got a long journey ahead of us."

* * *

In the hour that followed, Yang had breakfast and grabbed a shower. It took several more before Blake finally roused from her slumber, finally grabbing her own before slipping into Yang's Hunter outfit in lieu of her own clothes. She walked out of the bedroom, and Taiyang kept his promise, making her a breakfast to rival Yang's. Qrow had made himself scarce before Blake woke up, knowing better than to add his presence when Blake was scared enough of Taiyang's.

Finally, she finished, and she and Yang packed up a few supplies before Tai offered them some Lien road. Yang accepted before Blake could say no, and Taiyang returned the newly sharpened Gambol Shroud, the barrel also cleaned out, with a few clips of Dust for the road. She thanked him, saying she didn't deserve his hospitality, to which Taiyang assured her she deserved that and more, and the duo headed out.

Their first stop, both agreed, would be an inn on the outskirts of Vale. They'd stay under the radar, and with luck _might_ have gotten a ride out of Vale itself. At the very least it was somewhere safe and private, somewhere Taiyang knew with someone Taiyang trusted. They'd be safe there to figure out their next move.

But it wasn't the concept of what lay ahead that had Yang pause at the edge of the forest and look back at the cabin she'd called home for seventeen years. It wasn't even the artifact bundled up in her pocket, that a part of her wished she could just leave on the ground and forget all about. It was in fact what she had _actually_ left behind. There, in Taiyang's room, attached to a mannequin's arm, lay the epitome of who she used to be.

 _Ember Celica…_


End file.
